Specification of William Palmer : coating pills.

  • Palmer, William, active 1830-1852.
Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of William Palmer : coating pills. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Palmer s Improvements in the Manufacture of Pills. well through, when the same is to be suspended in any convenient room, in order that the pills may become well dried, when the oil is removed by rolling the pills between surfaces of calico, or other fabric, or by other means, when they are ready for packing away for use. The pills may have more than 5 one coating where the nature of the medicine requires it; and I have found it desirable when the pills are made, and still in a damp state, to roll them in dry flour, which aids in preventing the gelatine melting the surface. There are other means of drying the pills when coated with gelatine in place of immersing them in oil, though I believe that process to be the most convenient. Thus in 10 some cases, having obtained a coating of gelatine, I cause them £o fall into dry flour, the vessel containing it being kept constantly agitated, so that the pills do not remain stationary till the gelatine is well set, and when dry much of the flour may be rubbed off. When it is desired to coat pills with a matter of a fatty character, I prefer 15 to use spermaceti, reduced with sufficient sweet oil that when dry on the pills it may not crack off; and having submitted the pills to this matter when in a melted and fluid state I withdraw them therefrom, and when the coating matter is beginning to set I allow them to drop from a considerable height into water (or they may roll down on to an inclined plane into any convenient receptacle), 20 from wThich they are quickly removed on a sieve, in like manner to that above described, and drained and dried, when they are ready to be packed away in boxes or otherwise for use. I would here remark that there are other materials which may be used when in a fluid state for coating pills, and other means may be resorted to for 25 accomplishing the coating; I do not, therefore, confine myself to the materials herein described, nor to the means herein recommended, but I believe them to be the best for the purpose. Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I would have it under¬ stood that what I claim is, the mode of coating pills by causing them to be 30 submitted to gelatine, fatty, or other suitable matter when in a fluid state, and also the coating pills with fine powder when they have been previously sub¬ mitted to an adhesive fluid. In witness whereof, I, the said William Palmer, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-four. WM (l.s.) PALMER. 35